Conservative Leadership Contest Down to Four

Mel Stride has been eliminated from the Conservative leadership contest after receiving only 16 votes in the second round. Robert Jenrick led the round with 33 votes, followed by Kemi Badenoch with 28, and both James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat with 21 votes each. The remaining four candidates will present their cases at the Conservative Party's annual conference in Birmingham, which will feature multiple on-stage events and a 'beauty pageant' style competition. This latest development follows a contentious period marked by accusations of 'dirty tricks' among candidates' supporters. The final two candidates will be chosen by Tory MPs and subsequently voted on by party members, with the new leader to be announced on November 2.